Every Time a Phone Rings
by Flitz
Summary: Making friends with the enemy. Gambit.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does, and they do not share. **

A/N: This story will focus mainly on Gambit as an Acolyte and the development of his relationships with the other X-Men. Gambit and Rogue are a semi-established couple. Everything else is a surprise. So if it's not your cup of tea, jump ship now : )

"Scott?" Rogue asked quietly as she sat down beside him in the lunch room.

"Yeah?" he asked surprised at the soft tone of the Goth's voice.

"What do ya think about second chances?"

Scott frowned, not sure where this was heading, "Umm…"

"It ain't about us," she assured him and he gave a small sigh of relief he hoped was unnoticeable. He glanced around for the others, belatedly remembering Jean was busy reorganizing the costumes for the thespians club and Kitty and Kurt's class was on a fieldtrip. It was just going to be him and Rogue since Evan had taken off. Scott was still a little nervous and he rubbed his hand on his pants wiping off excess sweat as he looked around for potential eavesdroppers.

"Well, what is it about Rogue?" he asked concerned.

"Ya know about me and Remy right?" she asked. Scott nodded, while Rogue had tried to keep it a secret, it hadn't remained one for long that she was dating one of Magneto's Acolytes. Gambit, the guy who was a major enemy and had almost blown her up on their first meeting and several times since. Scott didn't like it, didn't understand it. But he was willing to listen to Rogue. Maybe she had come to her senses, or maybe Gambit had done something stupid and she was deciding whether or not to take him back. Then Scott could carefully steer her in the right direction.

Rogue fiddled with a strap on her gloves a moment, her gaze in her lap before looking up hesitantly, "Scott I think there's something wrong with Remy." Scott could personally think of many things wrong with Gambit, but he nodded for her to continue anyways, fearing words would spook her off.

"He…he…shows up with all these bruises in the strangest places…I'm worried about him Scott," she admitted.

Scott shrugged, "It's probably from training or a mission. "We end up with bruises all the time from the Danger Room, and he probably goes on a lot of missions he can't tell you about."

"Ah don't think so Scott," she said softly. Cyclops actually tensed, he'd never seen Rogue look so lost before.

"He usually tells me when he's gonna be outta town for awhile, so I don't worry. He hardly ever comes back from a mission with anything but a few scratches. And if he does he warns me about it, so I don't accidentally bump into it," she explained. "But lately," she paused, "I've seen a coupla really deep bruises. An' he had this gash that was like a mile long that he didn't want to show me. If it was just from training why would he hide them?"

Scott sat there stumped, "I don't know Rogue, maybe Sabretooth knocked him around too hard during training, or Colossus, and he just doesn't want to admit he lost," he offered.

"Mebbe," Rogue muttered putting a gloved hand to her forehead, "I'll see you later Scott," she said and grabbed her untouched lunch tossing it in the trash before heading out.

Great, thought Scott, now I'm going to eat lunch alone.

Rogue spotted Remy waiting in the parking lot by his motorcycle as he usually was. He was young enough he should probably still be in school, but like the other acolytes he'd decided not to enroll in Bayville High. That was the only plus Rogue could see for working for that maniac.

It had taken a few weeks of polite turndowns by Remy before the groups of teenage girls would stop hanging out by his bike as he waited for Rogue. A rocky relationship at best, between enemies no less, it didn't need any further complications.

"Hey Remy," Rogue called out with her soft southern drawl.

"Hey y'self petite," he said smirking and drawing her in for a quick hug "Y' up for a ride cherie?"

"I was hoping ya'd hang out with me at the Institute for awhile."

Remy grimaced slightly, once the other X-Men had found out the Rogue and he were a couple it had, well, it had gotten pretty rough. Several threats of disemboweling if he recalled, both from her foster brother and from Wolverine. Well technically one was for disemboweling, and the other was teleporting his still beating heart out of his body, but eh semantics. Once they figured out that he wasn't just playing with her, that he really cared, they had relaxed somewhat.

The X-Men had found out through trial and error that Gambit couldn't be kept out of the Institute if he wanted to visit Rogue. They had tried to make the pair stop seeing each other for a short-lived period of time when they realized that particular action only resulted in Remy breaking into the mansion and into Rogue's room late at night.

Giving in to the inevitable they had allowed the acolyte and thief into the mansion. Of course, only when he was there with Rogue, and never on anything but the ground floor, considering the sensitive equipment beneath and the bedrooms above. Gambit also hadn't failed to notice that the few times he had been over there was always someone else within shouting distance.

So if they really wanted any alone time it was not the place to be. The couple never even discussed going to Magneto's base, safety issues aside, neither of them wanted to spend their free time there. Remy was startled out of his extended reverie when Rogue snapped her finger's in front of his face.

"Hey Swamp Rat, ya with me?" she asked.

"Sure chere, sure, but y' really want t' go dere?" he questioned hoping for a negative.

"I'm sure," she said granting him a small smile, "Remy if any of them are gonna accept ya, ya actually have ta be there every once in awhile," she kidded.

He returned a weak smile, "Anytin' fo' my chere," and hopped on to the bike waiting until Rogue settled on behind him before revving up the engine and starting off.

Rogue clutched tightly to Gambit's stomach as he cruised the roads to the Institute. She was a better actress than she thought. She did want the other X-Men to accept him, but that wasn't the reason she wanted him to come along. Scott might not believe her, but she was sure someone else would be able to see what she saw.

She knew those marks he had gotten weren't from training, the pattern was just wrong somehow. She started to notice him wearing shirts with long sleeves or high collars, or refusing to take off his jacket or sunglasses. Despite his excuses she knew something was going on, somebody was abusing Remy LeBeau.

Gambit having taken the longer way to the Institute, wanting to delay it as much as possible, groaned audibly when he realized the only thing he had accomplished was arriving to a packed mansion. He spied Scott's sports car in the drive and parked a distance away from it, no way was he getting blamed if Scott's precious car got keyed again, there had to be tons of people that Scott annoyed.

Sliding off the seat the pair deposited their helmets on the bike and Rogue shouldered her book bag leading the way. Remy trailed behind far enough that she grabbed his hand, "Come on, it ain't that bad," she said rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Y' ain't de one who gets interrogated by Wolverine, non?" he quipped. Rogue threw a quick glance back at him. He could pretend to be fine all he wanted, she was getting to the bottom of this.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does. **

A half-gloved hand hesitated a moment before descending to knock on the reinforced door of the Institute. The figure shifted his weight impatiently waiting for an answer. Notorious for his skill both as a fighter and thief it amused him that arriving at his girlfriend's house still caused him anxiety. Of course, most girlfriends didn't live in a house full of mutants that would rather slit his throat than say hello.

The door swung open quickly and the Acolyte known as Gambit straightened at the sight that greeted him. With the extensive surveillance equipment that the mansion had and by Remy being generous enough to not try and avoid it, it usually gave Rogue plenty of time to greet him at the door. So the vision of a blue-plaid shirted Wolverine opening the door surprised him.

"Sometin' wrong wit' Rogue?" Gambit asked eyebrows rising expectantly.

"Nah, she's in practice Gumbo," replied Logan readily. Gambit backed up a few steps from the door.

"Guess Gambit talk t' her later den," he spoke jovially trying to hide his disappointment.

"She's almost done, ya can wait for her if ya want Cajun," said Wolverine magnanimously waiving the dumbfounded teen in.

"Eh, merci Wolverine," Gambit managed as he was escorted to the electronics-laden den to wait. Spotting Jean and Scott relaxing on the pumice-green sofa Remy paused long enough for Wolverine to enjoy catching him off guard and push him not-so-gently into the room. Gambit righted himself with a few quick steps, turning back to give Logan a mild glare which was ignored.

Remy uncomfortably chose a straight backed chair in the corner of the room, closest to the exit and as far away as he could be from the pair of X-Men without being obvious about it. A disgruntled look passed over his face as he realized Wolverine intended on staying as well, leaning against the doorjamb, his thick body almost blocking it entirely. Thieving instincts throbbed at the loss of the exit, but he had promised Rogue to try and get along with the other X-Men so he pursed his lips and averted his gaze. He'd rather face all three of them in battle than attempt to broker any type of conversation with them, an idea he seriously contemplated, seeing Scott sit up trying to get his attention.

Both Scott and Remy cared a great deal about Rogue and after a few near misses the pair had made a grudging peace for her sake. Remy was fine with that arrangement, however Scott had Jean and the professor prodding him to make friends. The professor didn't keep it a secret very well that he expected Remy to eventually become one of the X-Men.

And with him, bringing the secrets of Magneto's base no doubt.

"Hey Remy," said Scott with forced enthusiasm that Jean echoed. A flitting glance told Gambit that Wolverine planned on enjoying watching the two enemies' rather pathetic attempts at light conversation. It had been disastrous the few times they had tried. Given Cyclops didn't really know all that much about Gambit he sometimes stumbled onto sore subjects without knowledge. Gambit however, had thick files on all the X-Men that he had memorized, and retorted with equal venom. Eventually their conversation descended into one or two word phrases, three at tops. Their word choices had sent Kitty running cheeks flaming, too disgusted to gather enough concentration to phase away. And that particular incident had incurred in the short span of time when Rogue had gone to grab a soda. Hoping her session would be short Gambit tuned back into the fledgling conversation.

Yep, Remy thought, didn't miss much, the pair were blathering on about the school's basketball team again. Forcing himself not to roll his eyes he nodded methodically through the unenlightening litany, somehow they continued to forget he didn't go to Bayville High like the rest of them.

Scott watched as the long tressed acolyte nodded sympathetically to Jean's description of the dismal basketball game the weekend before. He didn't really know Remy well enough to be sure, but Scott had a feeling that Remy wasn't actually listening. Armed with the knowledge that Rogue wasn't due out of her session for another twenty minutes Scott decided to have some fun. Contrary to popular belief he was pretty perceptive, but he found if he pretended he wasn't, other people tended to slip up around him more. Grinning internally Cyclops spoke up a little louder than necessary, feeling a swirl of satisfaction watching the Acolyte snap his brown eyed gaze in his direction.

"So, Gambit, what have you been up to lately?" he asked innocently sounding. The Acolyte hadn't missed the switch from his given name to his code name and responded in kind.

"Not much dat Gambit c'n be tellin' y' bout Cyclops," he answered eyes narrowing.

"You guys…" Jean warned gesturing emphatically towards Wolverine who had yet to leave his post.

"No, no, you kids go ahead, I'd like ta hear this conversation too," smirked Wolverine moving farther into the room and dropping into a cushioned chair heavily, crossing his booted feet. Jean, who had her personal fill of compromising and mediation for the week, held up her hands in defeat leaving the room without saying goodbye. The gazes of the two teens never moved from their locked position as the red-head swept between them.

"So illegal stuff mostly, right?" continued Cyclops.

"Dat's what Gambit does non? Y' suddenly have a problem wit it?" he demanded, "Not all of us got rescued by a rich homme an' put up in his mansion…" he sneered, "some of us actually had t' learn skills."

"You call breaking and entering a skill, others…" Scott left that statement hanging. "Besides you know as well as I do that you could be living here the moment you said you wanted to," responded Cyclops.

"Just for y' own, personal knowledge, it's called liberation an' relocation of goods mon ami. An' not all of us want t' be kept like a trick pony, _Cyke_," Gambit retorted waspishly. He was about to speak again when he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. Years of training surfaced abruptly and he bolted upright grabbing the offending hand at the wrist and using his upward force to flip the person over his shoulder. His assailant was half-way to the ground before Gambit realized his attacker was a lot lighter than they should have been.

Diving, his worn jeans sliding on the carpet, Remy caught the boy before he could fall completely, force still jarring the small body. Gambit's eyes blinked abruptly when he was suddenly cradling two small forms.

"What de hell?" he said confusedly.

"Whoops," said the Jaimes, "Sorry about that, Rogue told us not to do it, but we thought she was just trying to scare us." Remy's records on the younger mutants weren't nearly complete compared to the senior students and generally avoiding the numerous mini X-Men, Remy hadn't been prepared for the sudden show of powers.

Scott stood up with Logan each grabbing a Jamie, "Chill out Gumbo," Wolverine said, "He's supposed to do that, though I'd say yer just a bit tense," said Logan with a rare bout of humor.

"I, He…he…ain't broken?" asked Gambit still kneeling on the carpet. Scott rolled his eyes invisible under his sunglasses.

"Jamie duplicates himself when he encounters force," Scott explained. Remy still shaken by nearly harming a child wobbled up to his feet, surprised when he saw Rogue come up behind him hair still damp from a shower.

"He'll be okay?" Remy asked again. Rogue spied the two Jamie's as they jumped off the floor.

"Didn't I tell you not ta sneak up on him?" she inquired of the younger boys foot tapping angrily.

"Well, yeah," they said in unison, totally unrepentant, "but we didn't think you were serious."

A/N: Points to Aethena for noting this is written a tad differently than I usually do. Most of my stories are written in a day 1, day 2, format. The 'feel' of this story is hopefully a little different as the time breaks between chapters won't be that concrete: some could be a few days, or even a few weeks. But I will try to make sure I don't speed through the fun stuff.

Much thanks to: Aethena, BJ2, Dark Elf3, Puppybaddog, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Streetwise Girl, and X-Storm.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does. **

Gambit had come over a little before six, and for once he looked passably presentable in black jeans and a cobalt blue silk shirt. It was his first official invitation to dinner with Rogue and the X-crew. Sure, he'd rather be alone with her, but anything that might lessen the evil looks that were shot in his direction had to be an improvement. At least as long as he didn't have to sit next to Wolverine…and the meal didn't last any longer than an hour.

On that particular instance he was dead wrong. The students took turns bringing in entrees, and it had been half an hour before they had even got past the water portion of the evening. Rogue was oddly silent, and for once Gambit took her lead. Normally a little more flamboyant he sunk into a quiet mode while the effervescent Kitty Pryde fought a battle with Wagner over who could fit the most words into a sentence.

A loud crack of bubble gum caught everyone's attention, and an unabashed Kurt let out a muffled "sorry" as he tried to pick it out of his fur. Gambit actually had to work to suppress his snicker, he'd never pictured Kurt as the type to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, but he'd thought sitting and chewing gum was a reachable goal.

A not so light tap on his leg from Rogue drew his attention away from her foster-brother.

"Do ya mind," she hissed, looking perturbed.

"Hey what do y' want me to do, it was funny," Gambit said leaning slightly to his right to whisper back.

"Just—"

"Just what?" Remy asked feeling a bit of his temper raising. He'd already gone through a coaching session from Rogue multiple times. If she gave him any more tips on how to 'act normal,' and 'try not to mention bad-guy stuff' they were going to have serious problems.

The adults, for the most part, had been ignoring the teens, an awesome feat considering they were only a chair away. Sitting next to Storm—one of the most powerful mutants Gambit had ever met—was a little daunting. Well that and Storm tended to be absent whenever he was over. Probably because the kids only needed one chaperone and the residents though he would be more afraid of Wolverine. Which was true…

Storm, her elegant hair wrapped up in an elaborate twist that Gambit could never hope to know the name of, was engaging Kitty in a slightly more modulated conversation about her studies. The ever-intriguing topic that all adults seemed dead and determined to chatter on about. No political intrigue at this table. At least Remy was spared boring inquires of his academic life. Skipping out on a formal education tended to do that.

"So Katherine what—"

A sharp buzz caught the attention of everyone at the table. Gambit was looking a bit flustered, his bangs slipping into his eyes, as he flipped out a cell phone and glancing at the display number.

"I'm sorry, I got t' take dis," he muttered and tried to quickly excuse himself.

Storm never fond of being interrupted, wrapped her slender hand around his wrist. "Do they not teach you any manners child?"

Logan snorted, but a sharp look from Storm silenced him quickly, though the edges of a smirk remained.

It took Gambit a moment to pull his eyes away from the lock she had around his arm, "It was on vibrate," he defended himself putting down his napkin and sliding backwards in his chair.

"If the phone call is so important that you cannot turn off your phone during dinner, than it should be answered right away. Why don't you sit down and return your call before any more time passes?" she invited.

Remy didn't look too keen on that idea, but Kitty spoke up sheepishly, "It's like a rule for everybody. Ms. Munroe made me answer my call at the table last week when I forgot to turn it off."

Still somewhat suspicious, Gambit retook his seat grudgingly, Rogue looking on in concern. That had been another condition of their relationship, when he was at the mansion, he had to abide by the ground rules they had set up for all the residents. The main, and only reason, he hadn't started up a cigarette yet.

Feeling utterly foolish and somewhat concerned considering the nature of the call Gambit hit the appropriate button to get the caller back, who by now, was undoubtedly pissed.

No matter how Gambit felt about Rogue, he was intimately aware that he was in enemy territory. His eyes flicked over the assembled X-Men, he didn't really want any of them to overhear his side of the conversation. He didn't have enough languages for this, German and Kurt would know, French and maybe Rogue, Kitty, or Jean would pick it up. Scott was studying Japanese and Logan was more fluent than Remy himself. Italian was out too, no doubt the professor had picked it up somewhere. Unless he made up his own language on the spot he was pretty much screwed.

An angry voice picked up on the third ring, and it didn't take enhanced hearing to pick up the sound of the screamer, "_Where the fuck have ya been punk_?"

"Jus' put 'em on, eh Creed?"

"_Since when are you giving me orders?"_

"I ain't fuckin' around wit' y'," Gambit snarled back before a touch on his arm reminded him of where he was.

"Language," Storm nodded at him.

Gambit gave a distinctly unappreciative look at that and went to get up from the table again before Xavier cleared his throat pointedly. Remy gnashed his teeth but remained seated, still listening to the voice on the other end of the phone which had thankfully quieted enough that the others couldn't hear Creed's words which had gotten much more vile. Logan probably could hear it though, which kept the Cajun from even glancing in his direction.

_"Boss wants to talk to ya," _Sabretooth said finally relinquishing the line.

Gambit sighed and passed a weary hand over his eyes, his elbow on the table. This was annoyance he didn't want to deal with tonight. Playing both sides of the fence got him tired pretty quick. He smiled briefly at Rogue who was looking rather uncomfortable herself twisting her napkin into knots.

_"I hope you have a good explanation for me_," the steel voice of Magneto resonated through the line.

"I'm in a public place," Gambit spit out quickly not wanting any important information to be spilt accidentally.

"_I'm still waiting on my package_," he growled.

"I'm on my way," said Gambit checking his watch in a hurried motion.

"_No matter, I've gotten Piotr to pick it up for me." _

"So why did—"

"_I know where you are Gambit_," he said. The entire dinner crowd looked up startled when the untouched silverware by Gambit's plate suddenly levitated and impaled themselves in the ceiling.

"Gott in Himmel!" Kurt cried out surprised.

"_They will never interfere with your work again_."

"Never," Gambit agreed his voice and his eyes cast back into a distant plane where none of the X-Men in the room seemed to exist. He heard the click but waited a few minutes before removing the phone from his ear. He was half tempted to turn it off, but he knew that'd cause even worse repercussions. Remy was already dreading going 'home' tonight.

As he went to drop it back into his pocket it buzzed again and Gambit looked down at it as if it were a snake about to bite him.

"Gambit," he answered warily.

"_You bloody git, what'd you do this time?"_

The acolyte let out a quick little chuckle, "John y' idiot. I'll see y' when I get back."

Snapping the phone with a much lighter motion he assumed an impish grin, "Any chance I could get a new set of silverware, I seem to have lost mine."

"He's not nearby," said Professor Xavier relaxing the fears of his young charges. "Gambit," he started diplomatically not willing to let this potential moment pass.

"Leave it Xavier," Gambit ordered harshly, his eyes cold.

"Do ya really like hanging out with Creed that much?" asked Wolverine, a knowing expression on his face, having heard both sides of the conversation.

Gambit, correctly foreseeing a growing movement for an intervention stood abruptly. "Sorry Rogue, but I'm going to have to miss dinner."

Rogue looked up at him alarmed, "You're coming back right?" she asked, hating to sound so needy, but willing to do her own fair share considering her boyfriend had to put up with a semi-public chastising.

"'Course cher," he said smiling in a way that made her feel foolish for even asking the question.

But he wasn't back, at least not for another two weeks, which in teenage years, was an eternity.

A/N: Hopefully Gambit didn't come off too wimpy for you Dark Elf3. He's a pretty tough guy (we'll see that in later chapters) but Remy really wants to be able to play nice with the X-Men for Rogue's sake.

My thanks to: Aethena, BJ2, Dark Elf 3, ishandahalf, Puppybaddog, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, and X-Storm.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does. **

Gambit looked up slowly feeling all too curious eyes watching him. The wild blue eyes of Logan met his.

"I thought you were left-handed," the Canadian borne mutant said eyeing the heavy silver fork in Gambit's right hand suspiciously.

"I'm ambidextrous," Gambit answered hoping to dismiss any further conversation with the feral mutant.

"Prove it," Logan said chucking a dinner roll at him. It was a light toss and Gambit caught it easily enough in his right hand, fork dropped quickly for the catch. Logan threw another a second later and Gambit dropped the first roll in order to catch the second.

"Logan please refrain from starting food fights," Xavier interrupted eyeing an excited looking Kurt.

Wolverine's attention didn't break from looking at the Acolyte's left hand that hadn't made so much as a twitch, "For a supposedly ambidextrous person you don't use it much," Logan said.

Remy relented and shrugged with an easy grin, "Training."

"Gambit, let me see," Rogue said exasperated smacking him on the right shoulder, "I told ya not to hide injuries from me."

"M' not," he protested with an innocence that wasn't quite convincing, "it just didn't come up."

"Yeah right," she said rolling up his sleeve and taking a close look at the brown bandage he had wrapped halfway up his wrist. She tugged at the clasp and started unrolling it to get a better look at the injury. "What the hell did you do to it?" she asked eyeing the reddened and slightly swelled wrist.

"It's fine," he said smiling tightly, tugging her hands away from his wrist and resecuring the strips she'd managed to unravel.

"So where were you for two weeks?" Wolverine asked.

"Logan," Rogue admonished shooting him a dirty look.

"Let's talk about something else," Remy said bluntly taking a sip of his water.

"Let's not," said Logan with a feral grin.

"I don' come here to get interrogated."

"Ya don't havta come here at all," Wolverine threatened.

"Logan, that is quite enough," broke in Xavier refereeing once more. "Remy you are of course, always welcome here. If you don't want to speak about your…vacation…than it's your prerogative."

"Merci," Remy muttered looking down at his plate.

The junior students as well as the senior X-Men and their teachers were in attendance for this particular dinner, a replacement for the dinner that Remy had missed. While they were all in the same room an unending current of nerves leap about. Once the dinner had come and gone uneventfully everyone seemed to relax. Having your boyfriend dining with your friends and family was bad enough, but it was significantly worse in their situation.

There had been an awful tense moment when Gambit's phone had gone off again and he'd had to answer it. There was a shared moment of relfection of the last time it had happened at the mansion and how badly it had gone over. This time however, he'd been able to answer with a short 'yes' and that was all.

Rogue had, prompted by Xavier, formally introduced Gambit to the junior X-Men to avoid any more surprises in the future. Remy's presence was not the event is used to be. Especially considering that when Gambit was around, he was hardly ever seen by the majority of the students. Despite several evenings of varying success at the mansion, the couple were generally solitary creatures when given the choice. At least that's what Rogue told herself. It kept the friction down when they were alone, but it kept the other X-Men from getting to know him for his good qualities, instead of his bad. Most people couldn't see how the charming Cajun Acolyte and the Southern Goth were happy together, but they had disproved their doubters with a standing relationship of five months.

It was Rogue's night for dishes and the Goth grudgingly yanked off her gloves and put her hands in water she knew wouldn't be sanitary for long. Grumbling loudly to anyone in earshot she railed against the unfairness of chores in general and dishes in particular, saving a choice kick for the fully operational dishwasher that for reasons unknown still needed glasses and plates cleaned before loading. You'd think living in a mansion, the appliances would be able to take care of themselves, Rogue thought.

"Come on petite, ain't dat bad. You want Remy to help?" he asked leaning his elbows against the kitchen's marbled island. Rogue rolled her eyes under heavily made up lids.

"No thank ya, I think if they found out ya were helping me they'd just make me do it over again," she scowled.

"Mebbe another time," he said, long auburn hair sliding into his face, chuckling at the sight of his beloved Goth up to her forearms in dirty dishwater, her entire face cringing.

Jamie walked into the kitchen, arms loaded down with glasses. "Jamie, I thought I told ya the glasses have to be brought out first! Now I'm gonna have to get a whole new sinkful of water, or they'll get all streaked," she complained. Jamie shrugged in the insufferable way of children which showed it was really none of his concern.

Passing behind Gambit, Jamie furrowed his brow in concentration, "What's that scar from?" he asked curiously pointing to his neck. Gambit's back stiffened as he turned back to the young Jamie and he adjusted his shirt collar, hiding the marks.

"'S nothin' y' need t' be worryin' 'bout," he advised smoothly.

"Jaime!" Rogue yelled regaining her breath, "That ain't polite, why don't ya go on out and play or sumthing."

"I'm too old to go out and 'play' Rogue."

"Then go do sumthing else," she said steel threat eminent in her voice.

"Okay, okay just chill already," Jaime said putting his palms up in defeat as he left the room.

Rogue willed a smile into place when she turned to face Gambit, letting him know she would not be forcing an answer to the question she so desperately wanted to ask. She was having second thoughts about her pursuit, he'd tell her when he was ready right?

A/N: Promise no more dinner scenes for a Long Time.

sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme- No definitely didn't mean That kind of package. Just needed a generic term so the listeners couldn't pick up anything, Gambit's exact job with Magneto will be getting a closer look a bit later. You almost killed me with this review though, I seriously choked on nothing but air when I read it.

ishandahalf- I'm more familiar with this version of the quote, "It's true every time you hear a bell ring an angel gets its wings, but what they don't tell you is every time a mousetrap snaps an angel gets its wings set on fire." ; )

Many thanks to: Aethena, BJ2, Dark Elf 3, Elmothecajunpuppet, ishandahalf, Puppybaddog, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, and X-Storm.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does, and they do not share. **

"Bowling?" Gambit asked disbelievingly as he hung onto the side door of the X-Men's van.

"Yeah, bowling," Rogue affirmed enjoying the flabbergasted expression on his otherwise controlled visage.

"Wit' de stinky shoes, and de stale beer and de—"

"Yes to all those and more, 'cept for the beer that is. Ya coming Gumbo?" Wolverine asked, sliding in behind the wheel.

Logan felt a little joy watching Gambit's façade crack further and Remy's upper lip gave a twitch at the nickname. Annoying people wasn't something Logan usually did purposefully, but it didn't mean that it wasn't fun.

Gambit eyed Wolverine balefully. Bowling had never even been fit to rank among his least favorite activities. His mind kicked into overdrive as he shifted his weight onto another leg, and a thousand and one ways to get out of the situation flew through his mind. That is, until he shifted his gaze six inches to the left and saw Rogue, then all his alternative plans went out the window. He groaned in defeat.

"That's the spirit," Logan mocked.

"Dis have got to be de worst activity on de face of de earth."

"Cheer up Gambit, it'll be fun," Jean said smiling brightly as she leaned over in her seat, a striped bowling bag already in her hand.

"Y' have y' own equipment," said Gambit as his eyebrows stretched upwards in disbelief that anyone would spend enough time on the non-sport to actually invest money in it.

Kitty strolled by hopping into the already crowded van, a pink bag bumping against her leg.

"It's way less gross if you have your own stuff," Kitty said unzipping her bag to reveal a sparkling blue bowling ball. She held it out to him, "I have one of the new scented kinds, do you want to smell it? It smells like blueberries," she coaxed.

Gambit, if anything, looked a little greener. "No thanks," he managed to offer.

"Hop in if yer goin' Gumbo," shouted Logan already flipping through radio stations trying to find one that wouldn't have his eardrums bleeding before they made it into town.

Gambit hesitated glancing from his tempting motorcycle across the lawn to the over packed van. There was no choice as for which vehicle he wanted, but a shy smile from Rogue melted his resistance.

"I'm gonna regret dis," sighed Gambit pouring himself into the van to sit squished between his girlfriend and the doorframe. "De things I do."

"If I have ta do it, ya have ta do it," Rogue grinned.

"I get boyfriend bonus points fo' dis right?"

The inside of the building wasn't as bad as Gambit had imagined, but it certainly wasn't anyplace he'd choose to spend his time unless he was desperate. It was reasonably well lit, but it was still a bowling alley. Décor with pins and bowling balls would never be particularly stylish.

There were signs posted every ten feet forbidding drinking, eating, and smoking at the lanes. The X-Crew blithely ignored the rules, as did everyone else apparently, nacho cheese smeared on one of the seats.

Gambit, clad in designer jeans and a seventy dollar t-shirt, cringed slightly as he chose a chair three seats down from the mess. By the time all the shoes had been put on and the orders arranged, the nacho mess was the only chair left for Scott.

"Oh thanks guys," said Scott looking put out.

"I t'ink it's another life form. Why don' y' try to make friends with it," Remy joked as he light a cigarette and conscientiously blew the smoke away from the crowd of teenagers.

"Har, Har," Scott groused stalking off to find a towel.

Gambit, willing to watch if not participate was slouched quite comfortably in his seat until an unexpected smack to his stomach from Rogue.

"What was dat for?" he asked bewildered sitting up quickly.

"No smoking," she said pointing imperiously to a discolored sign.

"No beverages," he returned with a pointed look at her unhealthily large container of Dr. Pepper she'd obtained within seconds of entry.

"That's different," Kitty said picking up her unsightly bowling ball from its matching case. "She's not under the age limit for pop."

"Who said I'm under de age limit?" Gambit smirked taking another relaxed pull, unconsciously tracking Jean as she left for the other side of the building to greet a group of guys in matching shirts she seemed to know.

"Ya better be, or yer too old ta be dating Stripes," Logan said as he approached the half-circle of chairs. "Toss it," Wolverine ordered when Gambit gave no sign of relinquishing his hold on his cigarette. "Ya know the rules."

"No smoking in front of de kiddies, dey way over dere," Gambit tried, pointing towards the boisterous group of pre-teens two lanes down that a harried Storm was attempting to corral.

"Now," Logan snapped his earlier good humor evaporated.

Aggravated, Remy took the cigarette out of his mouth and tossed it with a loud pop that signaled its explosion.

"Are we going to have a problem, Cajun?" Wolverine growled leaning in close.

"It's okay Logan, nobody saw," Rogue said turning from her position on the paneled lane in hopes to distract Logan.

"She's right, nobody even looked up, that horrible karaoke music is too loud," Kitty said, vocal support for Rogue, if not Remy. Logan snuffed, but let it go walking over to check in with Storm. There was something to be said about picking your battles. The Cajun would learn that eventually. Once Gambit stopped these little power struggle games of his, he might not be that bad of a guy.

"Not dat de view from here isn't great," smirked the thief, checking out Rogue as she hurled a ball with a tad too much force, "but I gotta step outside for a minute."

"What for," asked Kitty suspicion in her eyes, "your phone didn't ring."

"I know dat," Gambit said rolling his eyes as he stood up and stretched. "If y' need an excuse, y' can tell dem dat I'm _not_ going outside, so I can _not_ smoke."

The air outside was sharper, colder, and it calmed Gambit immediately. Rogue was great. Rogue as a member of the X-Men was okay. Rogue and the X-Men was doable. Rogue, the X-Men, and their chaperones were a bit much.

Remy finished his first two cigarettes in their entirety before he even considered looking up. Bad habit or not, it steadied his nerves. A muffled noise caught the thief's attention and he cocked his head to the right.

The Louisiana-borne mutant followed the noise into a wide alleyway blessedly free of garbage. The real interesting thing though, was that Cyclops was being hassled by a group of five guys in matching teal t-shirts. The same guys Jean had been talking to earlier.

"Knock it off, Duncan," Scott said trying to warn him away, "You don't want to do this."

"I don't want to beat your pansy-ass?" Duncan said pushing himself forward aggressively, "I think I do."

Scott's eyes narrowed under his shades. He was tired of fighting Duncan. Tired of not being able to take him out in a way that would make Duncan understand how incredibly overmatched he really was. Even without his powers he could take Duncan down, that is if he didn't always travel in a pack. Five on one though, wasn't good odds for anyone.

No matter how untrained, when the punching started Cyclops simply didn't have enough hands to block them all and Scott had about twenty seconds a cheap shot to the stomach make him crumple up, the wind knocked out of him. A following slam to back had his knees hitting the ground hard still clutching his stomach. Unlike other various baddies, they were unwilling to take turns. Partially recovering, Scott lashed out with his left leg

sending Duncan's cousin into the wall. Surprised by the move the other two basketball players wrestled for his arms to hold him into place. A punch flashed past his nose and Cyclops was a little astonished to discover it wasn't flying in his direction.

"Don't hurt anybody!" Scott ordered as he fought free of two morons trying to restrain him. He'd only seen Gambit in action a few times, but the school didn't need any lawsuits over broken arms, or worst case scenario, dead bodies.

Focusing on his own pair of yokels, Devon and Chris, Scott needn't have been worried. Gambit knew his way around a fight, super-powered or back-yard bully. His punches looked sloppy, but they always hit their mark. The acrobatics that Gambit's file was noted with were absent, but that didn't seem to hamper his effectiveness. He'd never once, as far as Scott could tell, broke into his mutant powers. In fact, it looked like the Acolyte was playing with Duncan's cousin, letting him keep swinging while Gambit tagged him with minor blows.

Scott finished off Chris with a powerful right hook that left the senior moaning on the asphalt. Devon, not particularly strong, had run away after the odds evened up, his heavy footfalls still sounding.

"Watch out, Summers!" Gambit yelled, getting a punch to the face for his inattention to his own fight.

Cyclops whirled in time to catch Duncan running at him, trying to head butt him into the dumpster. A quick sidestep had Duncan barreling himself into the solid surface. Impact made a steely gong that the barely conscious Duncan probably didn't get a chance to appreciate. He knew Duncan was dumb, but this was ridiculous. Scott couldn't help smiling to himself, Jean couldn't reprimand him for beating up on Duncan if he knocked himself out.

The sudden realization of relative silence penetrated his thoughts and Scott turned to see his erstwhile partner leaning against the cement brick wall, the slightest glisten of blood on the Cajun's lip for his trouble.

"Well," Gambit said, his breathing only sped up slightly, "dat was fun."

Cyclops shook his head slightly, Remy actually look as if he meant it. Fun, no. Necessary, yes. Walking up to Gambit, Scott caught the almost feral grin of excitement on his face. Fun, maybe.

"Summers?"

"Yeah?" Cyclops asked warily wiping away the dirt from his hands.

"Y' almost got beat up by a bowling team."

"Shut up," Scott said good naturedly, standing up and shoving Gambit in the shoulder to detach him from the wall. They turned to head back inside.

Above, secured on the low rooftop, Logan grinned wolfishly. Xavier would be on cloud nine to know that the kid had stepped up to help an X-Men other than Rogue. It was progress, even if it was slow.

A/N: Answers to last chapter's questions:

Ima Super Mute Ant: Thieves. As in members of Thieves Guild? We'll probably see some, but I make no promises.

Nettlez: As for Gambit receiving a lot of injures. Yes he's a very talented thief but---well you have to wait and see on this score. : ) sorry

sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme: The whole ambidextrous thing. Gambit Is ambidextrous. Because he's unnecessarily secretive he was pretending to be left handed while he hung out at the mansion. So when he uses his right hand at dinner Logan gets suspicious. Gambit tries to smooth it over by telling everyone he Is ambidextrous, but when Logan throws stuff at him he always catches it with the same right hand. If he was ambidextrous (and not injured) he would have caught the second roll in his left hand as his right was already full. Thus, Wolvie figures out Gambit is injured. Wow that was a long explanation, hope it worked.

Thanks guys I appreciate it, especially when I start flagging: Aethena, BJ2, Dark Elf 3, Elmothecajunpuppet, Gambit's Belle Rogue, Ima Super Mute Ant, ishandahalf, Lumberjane, Nettlez, Puppybaddog, Samson28, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Wildcard186, and X-Storm.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does. **

Scott mentally shook his head. It was amazing how much Gambit seemed to have changed over the last month or so. He didn't realize how much of Gambit's nasty attitude towards him had actually been a reflection of what he was giving out. Once he'd given Gambit a chance, a real one, he'd actually become an okay guy. His sense of humor was a bit out of place at times, and his sense of responsibility was iffy…but Gambit wasn't on his team.

That was one of the factors that worked for and against Remy in Scott's opinion. For once, Scott didn't really have to wonder or worry about making Gambit into a better person. Scott was supposedly in charge of all the mutants in the mansion, under the Professor, Storm, and Logan anyways. He always felt that little bit of extra pressure to be a good role model, and to push the other students to be better. He didn't have to do that with Remy, he wasn't his responsibility.

Gambit being an Acolyte though. It had been very difficult to try and compartmentalize his life to such a degree. Gambit was the enemy, but only sometimes. It was weird, and it was probably morally wrong, but as a pillow was flung his way, and Scott tossed it back across the living room, he found he really didn't care.

It was fun not to be in charge all the time, something Cyclops never thought he'd say. Of course there were always still worries that the young mutant could feel dripping down from the Professor. It wouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Remy was a recruiting aspect in his mind. Though Scott was relatively sure that Gambit, whatever his reasons, wasn't inclined to switch sides, so it was one of the many details he let slip for the moment. Cyclops' only real concern was that the younger students might see the life as a free-wheeling Acolyte fashionable.

To be fair, while Gambit wasn't being forced to go to school, or train, like the X-Men were, Gambit sometimes appeared to have a little freedom as they sometimes seemed to have. Remy was attached day and night to his phone, well, to his work – his part of the mutant equation. Plus Remy had to live with the likes of Sabretooth and Magneto. Pyro was a little less scary now that he wasn't an unknown, but Scott was pretty sure that the mutant was actually mentally imbalanced in some way. He never mentioned it of course, Gambit had never said anything about Kurt and he wasn't exactly the poster-child for mutant mental stability on his best day.

"Remy, your phone just died," complained Kitty trouncing up to the side of the couch, still holding his phone to her ear as if it would magically come back to life. Temporarily barred from the mansion's phone line due to an impressive phone bill, she had begged to borrow Remy's phone for a 'one-second' call that had gone over the hour mark already. Gambit's phone had call-waiting with his list of features, so he wasn't particularly concerned when he'd handed it over.

"Throw it here," Remy said, shifting oddly in his seat to dig the recharger cord out of one of the zillions of pockets his coat seemed to have.

"Wait, wait a minute," Kitty said confused, "there's somebody on the line…he says he's your doctor?"

Rogue, who had been lying on a pillow in Gambit's lap, felt the tension shoot through his body. He sat up stiffly and Kitty met him half-way.

Storm, the appointed chaperone for the night, pointed to the emptied couch cushion for Gambit to reclaim his seat, but the young Cajun blew her off, nothing more than a fleeting shadow as he swiftly passed from the room.

It was a long twenty minutes before Gambit came back. The whole room sat in anticipation not putting forth any energy towards watching the movie besides their head pointed in the general direction of the set.

Gambit swept back in and stooped to stroke his hand down Rogue's covered arm in a familiar way that they'd all learned to recognize as a sign that he was leaving.

"Do I even get a reason this time?" she asked.

"Chere, y' know I can'," he said sounding tortured turning his head to the side to break her gaze.

"I never asked ya, but ya know ya can always…" Rogue started grabbing for his hand softly.

"Don't ask chere," Gambit advised shaking his head sadly auburn locks tickling past his nose, "I can' say yes."

"Why do ya need a doctor?" she asked nostril flaring as her temper heated up, getting tired of her time with him being forever interrupted.

"Rogue, I can', 'm sorry."

"Can't or won't?"

"I gotta go," was his ineffectual parting shot, his voice suddenly clipped and cold. Long strides carried him away, his brown duster whipping about his heels.

Kitty waited a micro-second after he passed through the doorway before piping up.

"Rogue, I don't get why you put up with all of that mysterious crap from him. I mean sure, he's totally hot, his hair does that thing, and his abs are…okay never mind," she said giving her ponytail a light ruffle with her right hand.

"It's just how it is," Rogue muttered shooting a dark look at Storm out of the corner of her mascara drenched eye.

"Perhaps I will attend to my garden," Storm said tactfully as she excused herself. Subtly wasn't in Rogue's vocabulary, and truly, Storm wasn't sure what advice she could offer the young girl. Gambit was in sore need of an attitude adjustment, but he didn't see her in position of power as easily as he did Wolverine. She was fairly sure it wasn't a gender issue, but an issue of force. He responded much quicker to a loud voice and a threat of violence than the soft pressure her presence usually exuded. Not always a positive response, but a response none the less. Gambit would come around in time, hopefully.

Kurt blinked his yellow eyes at the stream of departures and spoke up, hoping to defuse the tension that refused to disperse.

"Look, Rogue –"

"No, I don't want to look, okay Kurt? Just…Just leave me alone," she said irritably, crossing her arms huffily.

"Rogue," Scott broke in disapprovingly.

"No. We've all been hanging out way too much as it is. I'm going up to my room and think about my boyfriend who tells me nothing, runs out for hours at a time, and comes back with bruises and cuts all over the place. And now, this doctor…"

"Rogue–"

"Do you know what's sad?" Rogue railed. "The fact that he's getting hurt doesn't even bother him anymore. And, for all your 'friends' talks nobody cares enough to notice but me. Gambit acts like it's normal, and maybe it is for him. But it shouldn't be."

A/N: Big thanks to my reviewers: Aethena, BlkDiamond, BJ2, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, coldqueen, Dark Elf 3, Elmothecajunpuppet, Gambit's Belle Rogue, Ima Super Mute Ant, ishandahalf, IvyZoe, Kitsu Lebeau, Lumberjane, Nettlez, Puppybaddog, Samson28, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Shifting1, tinuviel-telcontar, Wildcard186, and X-Storm.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does.**

"Why do I have to stand all de way back here?" complained Gambit from a distance a good six feet behind where all the others were throwing their darts.

"Because of your freaky aiming ability," the blue furred mutant called out from behind a bag of pretzels he was munching on.

"Dat's ain't a mutant ability, dat's a skill," defended Gambit.

"Prove it," smirked Rogue.

"Fine, no one believes me, now I'm bein' punished unjustly for my sins."

"Quit whining and throw already," Scott said good-naturedly grabbing a two-liter to pour refills for the room.

Rogue was sprawled on the couch in the Rec Room waiting for her turn. They were playing couples (boys vs. girls) so it took a bit longer to get around to her turn. She heard the thunk of darts and popped her head up, a triple sixteen, a double twenty, and a true bull's-eye.

"That's it, back up!" shouted Jean.

"Sorry Jeannie, but de room don' get any bigger, unless y' want me to go stand in de corner."

"I'm thinking about it," she threatened.

"You're up Jean," Scott said handing her the darts she'd left behind on the table.

"Fine," she said airily. Her arm launched smoothly, three bull's-eyes.

"Who's cheatin' now?" scoffed Gambit as he leaned back against the wall.

Rogue scowled from the couch, she was the only one who sucked at this game. Or at least she was the only was who sucked and still consented to playing. Kitty was out on a date, and Kurt had wisely declined.

Two more rounds of darts and the girls had given up the game for a lost cause. Poker was denied, as was Twister and any other number of games the guys suggested. They ended up with Jenga and a movie, Jean having been outvoted on Scrabble. It was only about one in the morning when they put in the movie, but _Sweet November_ put Gambit to sleep in minutes. With Gambit hanging around with them all the time he didn't really seem like the enemy so much anymore, but still, seeing an Acolyte drooling on the side of the couch was just too funny.

Jean giggled and nudged Scott, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise to see him in a similar state. She looked over to Rogue, "It's not that bad is it?"

"What?" Rogue asked sleepily, her voice smothered by a yawn.

Jean stretched her back and moved into a more comfortable position. She should be getting everybody up and sending them to bed, or in Gambit's case sending him home. On weekends he wasn't supposed to be over any later than one-thirty. Well that's what she should be doing, not what she _would _be doing. She smoothed Scott's arm out of the way and propped a pillow against the cute lug, it didn't take long for her to fall asleep either.

Logan prowled through the house, a good game of pool, good beer, and a good brawl in an out of town bar rejuvenating him for a week of nurse-sitting a bunch of teenagers. He had to admit they were getting better. He'd probably be the last one to admit it, ever, but Gambit was a good influence on the kids. He knew when to have fun, and he knew when it was time to work. It's all the time in between that he was annoying. He'd be an even better influence if he'd cross over the line all the way and escape out from under Magneto's thumb.

Logan passed through the house, the hiss of static incredibly irritating to his ears. Kids probably left the friggin' set on again. He followed it to the Rec Room, a little more surprised than he really should be at the sight. At least no one was in any compromising positions.

Scott looked like he had just fallen over where he was sitting, his brown hair tousled out of his usual casual fashion, shoes kicked off, and sunglasses firmly in place. Jean's upper body leaned against Scott's, her long red hair piled gently behind her. She looked peaceful, the pinch in her features she carried during the day to keep her telepathic powers under control having eased during the long night.

Rogue simply looked relaxed, sleeping deeply, curled up on a cushion by herself, her legs taking up half of the center cushion. A streak of black marred the pillow she was sleeping on, her makeup having smeared in her sleep. Well, it's not like Xavier couldn't afford another one. Gambit shared the couch with Rogue, but like Scott, he looked like he'd fallen asleep mid-activity. Going on a hunch Logan leaned over to catch the movie title. No wonder the guys conked out first. He snuck another glance back at the Cajun, looking out of place with his boots still one, and his jacket within arms reach. The stubble that'd grown out during the day made him look older, but he had a feeling if you shaved it off completely Gambit would look much younger than anyone working for Magneto had a right to be.

Wolverine was debating the merits of waking the kids up when the annoying little chirp that seemed to haunt the mansion sang out. Gambit's eyes popped open immediately, while the others slept peacefully on, deep in REM sleep. Remy took a split-second to take in his surroundings, noting Logan's presence before answering the phone and leaning back deeply into the cushions.

"Go ahead," Gambit said, only a slight thickness to his voice alerting anyone to the fact that he'd been asleep. The Cajun listened for all of five seconds before he slammed the phone shut and began packing up his things quickly. He threw on his coat, and gave another sweep over the room, which after a short-lived popcorn fight was a little worse for the wear.

"Sorry bout de mess, homme, an' for fallin' asleep, it won' happen again," Remy promised running out the door, almost rebounding off the door frame.

Wolverine had a lot of time to study Gambit's phone habits, they all had. Remy had never reacted that quickly to anything. Whatever was going down it wasn't going to be good, it wasn't going to be pretty, and it was going to be fast. He clapped his hands loudly.

"Up and at 'em," he shouted.

"What, Wolverine what is it?" asked Jean sleepily tugging at her eyes.

"It's not what it looks like," Scott shouted out immediately, and it gave the others a moment to wonder what he had been dreaming about.

"Gambit was just—" Rogue halted her sentence seeing him gone. She focused her somewhat bleary eyes on Logan, "Gambit left hours ago, I swear."

"We'll talk about that little fib later Rogue. I just saw Gambit run out of here like the hounds of Hades were after him. Something big is going on, I want all o' ya suited up and in the bird in twenty."

"What's going on?" asked Scott snapping into leader-mode.

"I tell you when we get there," Logan snapped back, not entirely sure of the situation himself.

They had always wondered what it would be like to face each other in battle but neither of them thought it would really happen. It'd been too long. But here they stood outside a shell of a building, men who were decked out in armor obviously the guards of the damaged facility littering the ground. In the end it was simply each team on either side of a line. And it was no metaphorical line; it was a series of fuchsia lines charged and glistening with the ability to explode – no one would be walking across it anytime soon. Of course those with flight, Storm, or those with long range powers, Scott, would be able to battle across it with virtual impunity. Kitty and Kurt's powers gave them some degree of safety as well, as long as they didn't let themselves be flung directly on top of them. The only real person it kept out was Rogue and Wolverine. Though anyone looking at it knew it was an obstacle designed for her. She'd either use it as an excuse not to battle him, or she'd charge against it and force him to let it explode.

The aerial assault of Storm left Gambit otherwise occupied however, his powers and his mind only tenuously attached to that piece of asphalt. It wouldn't do for anyone to know that though.

Piotr was stalking closer to Summers, his optic blasts almost melting across the heavily metaled man. Pyro was keeping everyone else busy, molding fire from everything from dragons to dogs to chase the X-Men around. Kitty ghosted out, running across the mutant-powered mine field, trying to reach the canisters on Pyro's back and detach him from his fuel source. Gambit shouted out a harsh warning and John dodged jerkily and Kitty stumbled and fell, disappearing as she phased into the asphalt below.

Kurt bampfed out in a cloud of brimstone, reappearing suddenly behind Sabretooth who'd been taunting the diminutive Cajun to try his luck and cross over. Nightcrawler landed a hard punch to Creed's side but Sabretooth shook him off easily, tossing the startled youth back towards the X-Men. Too stunned to react appropriately Kurt smashed into one of the transport vehicles the guards had pulled out earlier in a doomed attempt to prevent the assault on their facility. Unconscious, the blue furred mutant lay still, his arms collapsed beside him. Wolverine growled viciously, calling out his own share of epithets, but wise enough not to charge Gambit's line. It would only result in him arrived already injured to fight one of the few people who could give him an equal fight.

Gambit had to sigh in disgust, as he surveilled both teams, it really was a pointless battle. The X-Men didn't know it, but they were already a day late and a dollar short. Gambit had rushed because time really had been of the essence. The other Acolytes had already been on the job when it'd fouled up. They'd done as they'd been taught - get the target out, then worry about yourselves. So the material they'd sought had already been recovered, what had been stolen from Magneto returned. Gambit had only come to keep his friends from being beaten to a bloody pulp by the glut of guards that for some reason secret government facilities seemed so fond of. And for all Gambit's good intentions, he was now facing off against another group of friends, the aforementioned guards, or those who were left awake and alive, fleeing at the sight of a brewing super-powered throw down.

Ororo in particular, was wrecking havoc on the day. With her high vantage point and tenacious weather abilities, she was always an important factor in any battle. If he wanted to end this anytime soon, and in a relatively bloodless way, he'd have to take her out. The others, he knew, would gather around their fallen. From there it would be all too easy for Pyro to encase them in a fiery cage to ease the Acolyte retreat.

As Storm swooped down low with an icy wind at her back, hail pelting the ground, Gambit threw a series of cards near her flight path, hoping to force her to the ground. Experienced in flight she made a few quick gyrations to avoid the cards that, really, hadn't been close enough to harm her. A sudden lighting strike blurred out sight and came down nearly on top of John. The discharge sent the red haired mutant crumpled in a heap, his hair smoking a little.

The next pulsing card that went up at a physically impossible velocity slammed into Ororo's chest in an explosion she had no way to recover from. Startled she cried out as she fell, the weather pattern's returning to their original state swiftly. Logan lunged upwards for her and the pair tumbled, Logan turning back and forth to place most of the impact on his easily healed body.

Everyone was looking around in shock. They'd befriended Gambit the way the foolish would a tiger. Knowing it was dangerous, but always so sure it'd never hurt you. An uncanny silence enveloped the impromptu battleground, and Piotr gathered the unconscious Aussie in his arms and started back, realizing the odd, but thankful cease-fire.

Both teams took their wounded and exited, Acolytes blending into the night as the X-Men boarded their plane. Gambit's glowing gridwork shrunk and then disappeared as Rogue stared out the window with stormy eyes.

What now?

A/N: I know this chapter is a little rough, but I'm officially MIA until the second week or so in January, so I thought I'd at least get it posted.

Gracious thanks to my reviewers: Aethena, BlkDiamond, BJ2, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, coldqueen, Dark Elf 3, Elmothecajunpuppet, Gambit's Belle Rogue, gryphenvoid, Ima Super Mute Ant, ishandahalf, IvyZoe, Kitsu Lebeau, lelann37, Lumberjane, Nettlez, Puppybaddog, Samson28, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Shifting1, tinuviel-telcontar, Wildcard186, and X-Storm.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does.**

"Remy just come over, it will be fine," Rogue said for the umpteenth time, clicking her black-painted nails against the tabletop, the black portable phone hugged between her neck and her shoulder.

"_How can it be fine Rogue? I almost blew up Storm,_" Remy's stressed patois sounded over the line.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Just apologize to her or something," Rogue said, sorting through her cache of silver rings on her dresser top.

"_Apologize_?"

"Yeah, ya know that thing you're supposed to do when ya do something wrong," she said sarcastically.

"_Rogue, I was doing m' job_," he said quietly.

Rogue paused and frowned into the phone, seeing her boyfriend in the abstract as an enemy had been one thing, seeing the reality had been quiet another. For a moment when Storm was falling, and she knew Gambit was the cause, she'd been well and truly afraid of him. But the battle had broken up so quickly she wasn't sure what had happened.

And later, patching themselves up with a little assistance from some medical equipment light-years ahead of the American Medical Association, the professor had pulled her aside to let it be known he didn't blame Gambit. Scott and the others had taken more convincing to dial down their anger, but a quick session of role reversal had them all shame-faced. The fact that Storm had made a full recovery had certainly helped the Cajun's case.

Rogue shook herself from her fugue and gave Remy her full attention, "It'll be okay I promise."

"_Really?"_

"Really, really."

"_Why don' me and y' go visit de park or somethin'. Then we don' have to worry 'bout anybody else_."

"Gambit just come over will ya? Nobody will say anything. The quicker we get this over with, the better."

"_We_," Gambit muttered mutinously.

"Yes, we. As in, we are in this together Gambit. I thought ya knew that."

"_Storm's still probably laid up somewhere, Wolverine stalkin' de halls..."_

"Storm is fine, Remy."

"_T'anks for tryin' to make me feel better, but chere, I know de amount of charge I used, an' I saw her hit de ground hard."_

"She's alright really. I swear."

"_Dat soon?" _Gambit asked suspiciously. With the amount of force from the dual explosions she'd suffered, he was sure she'd be laid up for weeks.

"X-Men heal fast," was her elusive answer.

"_Yeah, dat'd be nice,"_ he murmured.

"So are you coming over or not?" Rogue finally asked, tired of leading him around the conversation.

"_Are you kidding, dey'll crucify me over dere."_

"I promise no one's waiting to ambush ya. Just bring ya butt over here."

"_Everyone jus' happy go lucky over dere eh?"_

"The X-Men are very forgiving people," she defended them.

"_Yeah I'll be sure to pass dat memo on to Alvers."_

"That was different, the brotherhood was always trying to hurt…"

"_Exactly, what makes what I did any different chere? What do dey want from me?" _he asked, his voice suddenly quieter.

"They don't want anything from ya. They want things _for_ ya. And I want ya to be here, so just pass on the bullshit and get over here."

"_Why aren't y' mad at me?"_ he asked, seemingly blown away by her acceptance of him.

"I am, a little. I don't see why ya feel the need to stay with him, with them. They're criminals. But if there is one thing I have learned with the X-Men, it's team loyalty. I understand that, even if it's not for the team I'd like it to be. Now get your Cajun-carcass over here."

Rogue huffed, her hand extended out behind her. She'd spent the better part of her morning convincing Gambit to brave the lion's den, and now she had to resort to physically pulling Gambit by the arm.

"Come on, scaredy cat, nobody attacked ya at the door did they?" she said forcing him a few more steps past the living room.

"Non, but dere's still time," he added worriedly, biting on his lower lip. "Where we goin'?"

"Outside, Kurt is trying to get Scott to help him fence. It's hilarious," she said as the glassed patio door and the ridiculously bright afternoon sun loomed into view.

"I just blew de third in command outta de sky, an' y' want me to go where dey have swords? Y' nuts," he said, and finally began pulling backwards, latching onto the furniture.

"It'll be fine," she said exasperated. Her green eyes suddenly widened, "Oh hi Storm."

With one arm anchored to Rogue, Gambit tried to whirl around but the female Southerner took advantage of his off-balance position to pull him through the patio door.

"Made ya look," she sniggered.

"Not funny, Rogue," Gambit replied letting his bangs settle over his brown eyes.

"Was ta me," the Southern Goth said with a sparkle in her eye. "Listen, Gambit. Seriously. Everyone just wants to forget it happened. I do too. We can go back to how it was. Everything will be okay."

"If y' say fine, or okay one more time…"

"Alright," she said with a half-malicious grin she'd picked up from him, "Promise not to, let's go."

"Pyro's was convinced that I'd turn into a pile of ash de second I walked in de door," Gambit admitted, still unwilling to trust that his actions had been swept under the rug.

"Well ya haven't. I told ya there was nothing to worry about. So come on, relax a little, don't be so tense."

"I'm not tense," he immediately defended, struggling to move his shoulders out of their locked position.

The metallic scratch of swords drew the couple in and they found the other X-Men in a clearing a short distance into the woods bordering Xavier's estate. Two huge oaks guarded either side of their impromptu ring shading the temporary combatants.

"Ack, I almost got it," Kurt said chagrined. "Scott I need you to come at me like this," he said demonstrating with his rapier.

"That's what I did," Scott said looking perplexed underneath his red glasses.

"No it's not," said Kurt getting frustrated. "You did this," he said showing another maneuver.

"Man Kurt, sorry, it looks the same to me. Why don't you wait till Logan gets home and he can help you with it," Cyclops suggested.

"I have to learn it on my own before he'll show me the next move, but I can't practice it without someone else to practice against," Kurt said frustrated tapping the rapier against his right thigh.

Rogue and Remy had been watching the fencing practice with interest as they neared and Rogue poked Remy in the shoulder. "Go help him."

"I don' know how to fence," he protested.

"It's really easy," Kurt said jumping at the chance for a new body. "Besides you don't need to learn everything, at once, just this one sequence."

"Fencing isn't really my thing."

"Come on Remy, I've seen you with a bo stick, you could pick this up in no time," Cyclops said.

"T'anks for de vote of confidence, but I t'ink I'll sit dis one out, it's so much fun watchin' y get sliced an' diced Summers. An' I wouldn' want to leave my Rougie alone," the Cajun smirked.

"Go ahead Gambit, I'm not gonna wither away and die if you're not next to me every moment," Rogue said. 'Sides I wouldn't mind seeing a sliced and diced Cajun."

"Take a rain check, chere."

"Come on Gambit," Scott cajoled offering up his borrowed rapier.

"Sorry, I jus' really want to relax right now," Gambit said, plopping onto the grass as if to prove his point.

"Jeez Gambit, can't you help me out for like six seconds," Kurt complained.

"No."

"Re—"

"Kurt I said no!" Gambit finally shouted, his features tight.

"What's your problem Gambit?" Cyclops asked.

"Nothing, I'm sorry," Remy said backpedaling, "I just can' help."

"Why not? Too good to help me?" Kurt asked. "Look I realize I'm not exactly Acolyte material, but that doesn't mean you have to totally diss me."

"Shit Kurt, it's not y'. I jus' can't help anybody wit' training."

"What?"

"Y' guys, de prof an' everybody… dey made rules for when I visit here right? Well I got a second list of rules to follow if I wanna make de trip. An' one of de conditions is dat I'm not allowed to help y' guys train to become better fighters. Kinda counter-productive y'know."

"So you can't train with us?" asked Kurt, the tip of his light sword draggin in the ground, his tail twisting behind him.

"Dat's what I said, I ain' really supposed to help y' do anything really."

"What if one of us was choking on a peanut?" Rogue joked.

"It's not funny," said Gambit, an undercut of anger deep in his voice.

"Lighten up, Remy, not everything is life and death," Rogue said trying to put a restraining hand on his knee.

"So says de Goth."

"Well?" said Kurt.

"Well what?"

"I was about to go into the kitchen and ingest a potato chip, anything I should know?" asked Kurt impishly a quick grin stretching his face.

"Yeah, eat very small bites."

"Remy, if you would come in here for a few moments?" Xavier questioned politely catching a fleeting glimpse of the red haired thief as he breezed past the entrance to his study.

"Actually, I'm on my way out. Been a long night," Gambit said hovering just inside the entrance. His conversation, after the initial awkwardness with Cyclops and Nightcrawler, had actually gone quite well. Much better than he expected, or perhaps even deserved.

"I'm afraid it is quite important," the Professor said sternly.

"When isn't it important wit' y'," Remy muttered rebelliously wandering in and dropping down in a chair, suspiciously eyeing the artificial plant behind Xavier's desk to see if it was large enough to hide a restraint-challenged Wolverine. Gambit had been waiting for the other shoe to drop since he passed the gates to the mansion earlier in the day, and it had finally arrived albeit in the unusual form of the bald-headed telepath.

"I'd like you to undergo a physical exam," Xavier stated primly.

"Excuse me?" Remy asked impetuously, his earlier relaxation vanishing as he stared the X-Men's mentor down.

"Like I said, I would like you to submit to an exam. It will be relatively quick and painless. And of course I will keep the information confidential."

"Y' out of y' mind Xavier."

"Gambit we had an agreement were you would be cooperative. I've done my fair share of turning the other way, and our doctor—"

"No homme, y' can' keep doin' dis, addin' stipulations to my relationship wit' Rogue. It ain't fair y' keep changin' de rules," he said darkly.

"I am merely suggesting it, afterall, you have had quite a lot of injuries of late."

Gambit's right hand instinctively twitched as he refrained from checking the short cut he had on his scalp, certain his hair covered it enough to render it unnoticeable, "Yeah, y' in de business Xavier, it happens," he said feigning indifference.

"I have quite of few children and X-Men under my care, and none of them come home so regularly with injuries. I'm just want to make sure you are not doing yourself permanent damage."

"What y' think I'm doing dis to myself?" Gambit asked in disbelief clutching the wooden chair arms.

"Well you said it's not training or missions, or your teammates. What else could it be?" Xavier asked with a penetrating stare.

"I can't tell y' 'bout it."

"Who can you tell?" Xavier questioned softly. "You know that I will do everything in my power to protect you from—"

"Fine, I did it to myself. Slipped in de shower," Gambit said, hiking himself out of Xavier's plush chair and striding away, his carefully blank face marred with a twinge of worry.

A/N: So… my vacation was a lot longer than I intended. I picked up a writing internship which has sucked up my time and siphoned out every drop of creativity I have. Apologies for those of you waiting on this story; there are about three or four chapters left.

Thanks beyond measure for reviewing: Aethena, BlkDiamond, BJ2, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, Clownfood, coldqueen, Dark Elf 3, Elmothecajunpuppet, Gambit's Belle Rogue, gryphenvoid, Ima Super Mute Ant, ishandahalf, IvyZoe, Kitsu Lebeau, lelann37, Lumberjane, N.M.C.L, Nettlez, Puppybaddog, Samson28, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Shifting1, tinuviel-telcontar, Wildcard186, and X-Storm.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does.**

"Hey, Gambit," Rogue shouted waving from her blanket under one of the larger willow trees that rung the lake near the Institute grounds.

Catching sight of Rogue in a tight grey t-shirt emblazoned with a giant gothic cross, and matching gloves that reached her forearm Gambit charged directions abruptly to meet her. Rogue waited for him to make up the distance, busying herself re-adjusting every little thing in her admittedly amateur picnic. So peanut butter and jelly wasn't gourmet, Remy would understand.

"Hey chere," Gambit drawled with a sloppy grin, falling easily onto the blue and white plaid blanket. "What's all dis?"

"I figured if we wanted any time away from the rest of the gang we'd have to get a head start on it," she grinned rocking back on her heels.

"Sounds good, chere," Remy replied stretching out on his side so he faced her kneeling visage, his plain formerly-white long sleeve shirt bunching around his waist.

"Tired already?" Rogue kidded taking in his slouched form. "Musta been a long night."

"Y' have no idea," he agreed unwrapping the sandwich she handed him. He took a generous bite, tendons in his jaw bunching as he chewed. Rogue settled herself and grabbed a baggie full of chips, glad to see any woodland insects that might be attracted to the outdoor meal had been sufficiently deterred by the monthly bug bombs Xavier had set up for the Institute.

Popping the top of her Dr. Pepper a generous spray soaked the right hand of her glove and she shook off the wet glove gingerly, giving it a toss to the corner of her blanket to dry. The absence of mocking laughter had Rogue scoping out her entirely too quiet boyfriend.

Remy, his sandwich abandoned to the blanket, was trying and failing to get up. His brown eyes looked dazed and his upper body swayed, his arms refusing to lock to give him the leverage he needed.

"Ya alright?" Rogue asked worriedly as the Acolyte paled considerably under his mop of auburn hair.

"Oui, I'm…I'm…" he tried blinking slowly like a broken marionette. "I ain't feelin' so good all 'a de sudden."

Rogue tried to steady him as he rose on shaky legs, so unlike the athletic guy she knew. He clung to her left side as he tried to straighten, and a panicky look stole over his face.

"Everyt'ing spinnin'," he said dizzily as he lost his grip on her gloved arm and stumbled a few steps before pitching face first onto the ground.

"Gambit? Gambit!" Rogue shouted scrambling across the grass. She slid to a stop, her jeans acquiring vicious green stains, her hands fluttering spastically above his chest. He breathing didn't sound right, and his eyes weren't open.

"Gambit, please! Wake up!" she shouted hoping to revive him. Rogue hovered, mentally chastising herself in her panic. She'd lapsed into the same sense of complacency that she'd berated the other X-Men for months ago. Gambit never seemed to worry, especially about his own health. Everyone followed his lead naturally. And, after awhile, it was almost easy to ignore his partially swallowed echoes of pain when she leaned up against a fresh injury.

She'd stopped asking questions. Especially after Storm, everything had piled on at once, and somehow his physical well-being had fallen to the bottom of the list. She didn't want to rock the boat any further. Rogue remembered her self-righteous attitude towards the others, and now she was paying the price for her inattention. He was paying the price.

The insanely loud roar of a Logan's jeep pulling into the mansion's drive filled the air and Rogue's head snapped up. "Logan! Logan, help!" she screamed.

One look at the frightened Rogue had Logan vaulting out of his jeep and sprinting towards their position.

"What happened?" Logan barked, not even out of breath.

"I don't…I don't know. He said he was feeling dizzy, and he just passed out!"

"Did you touch him?" Logan asked taking in Rogue's missing glove as he kneeled opposite Rogue with the Cajun between them, Logan's hand already at the teen's throat to take his pulse.

"No! Of course not," Rogue recoiled looking shocked that he would even ask.

"No time to be coy, Rogue," Logan said rapidly searching for any injuries, feeling limbs and pushing aside Gambit's shirt. He came across a smattering of bruises surrounding Gambit's wrists an odd mark on the back of his head. A few odd sutures rounded out the mess, but none seemed serious enough to make the wily Cajun drop to the ground.

"I'm not—I didn't," Rogue protested looking on anxiously.

"He allergic to anything? Quick Rogue, come on," Logan urged her.

"I don't, I don't think so," she said.

"So what, he just fainted?" Logan asked skeptically.

"I, I guess."

"Well I only know one way to fix that," Logan said before hauling off and smacking the Cajun a sharp one across his right cheek. The first one didn't have an affect, but the second one across his left certainly did.

Gambit came to quickly, his eyes snapping open, his body lurched as he tried instinctively to roll out of danger but finding two bodies blocking his way. Rationality blossomed.

"Wolverine?" Gambit asked confusedly. "Rogue? What de hell?" he said nursing his cheek which had pinked slightly.

"That's just what I was gonna ask you. Rogue said ya went out like a light," Logan said keeping a wary eye on the Cajun.

"Well t'anks for de rescue," Gambit said sourly as he eased onto his hindquarters. He took a moment or two to compose himself before he rose listing slightly.

"What happened to you?" Rogue asked, her face a map of concern.

"Nothin' to worry 'bout, I be fine," Gambit said with a weak smile.

"Bullshit, Gambit, yer so messed up, yer eyes are still crossed," Wolverine interrupted. "I want an explanation or yer gonna get that check up Xavier was rattlin' on about right here and right now."

"I tol' y' I'm fine," Gambit insisted looking marginally steadier as Rogue walked over to his side.

"He does look better," Rogue offered uncertainly.

"Ain't cuttin' it. I didn't run my keister all the way over here for ya to stonewall me again. Ya don't want Rogue to hear, fine. But yer going," Logan ordered grabbing an arm from the not entirely recovered Gambit and marching him across the lawn back into the house.

"Let him go, Logan," Rogue said trailing after wanting a moment or two with Gambit herself.

"Stay out of it, Stripes," Logan growled not relenting.

"Listen to de femme, would y' let go?" Remy said.

Logan barely even glanced back at their antics, Gambit's inability to extract himself proof enough that his concerns were valid.

A double set of sliding glass doors whipped open and shut before Rogue could slip in behind them. Wolverine dragged Remy through the mansion, small sets of eyes from the next generations of X-Men peering from the staircase. Too curious to leave, but not near stupid enough to try and interfere.

Tromping through the halls towing Gambit in his wake the height-challenged Canuck shoved his temporary ward into a too familiar room, the bright light of the afternoon diminished greatly as Logan locked the door and pulled the thick maroon curtains shut.

Gambit was finally free of the older mutant's grasp and walked a few steps stiffening his back and his pride, taking in the room with its wall of books, fireplace and expensive furnishings – his return to Xavier's study.

"What happened to the check-up?" Gambit asked sarcastically.

"I figured it would do ya good to get yer head examined first," Logan returned sneering towards the seated Xavier.

"Not again," the Acolyte said staking out a position next to the fireplace before relenting and burning off some nervous energy by pacing to and fro in the back of the study, his shoulders brushing against the curtains.

The professor's eyebrows raised briefly in consternation. "Remy, Logan briefed me on your episode out on the lawn. I simply want to ensure your well-being is not being threatened."

"Dat's great o' y', but really I'm bien, so stop nosin' into my business," Gambit snarled, stalking forward suddenly and leaning his weight against the smooth front edge of Xavier's desk.

Wolverine's heavy hand fell on his shoulder, and Gambit didn't need a demonstration to remind him how fast those claws could rip free.

A somewhat subdued, but sullen Gambit redirected his gaze to stare blankly ahead, his reserves eaten up the incident on the lawn and his later posturing.

"What now?" Gambit asked, voice dull, feeling more exhausted than he had in weeks.

"The truth would be much appreciated," Charles Xavier stated serenely.

"Fresh outta dat," he responded reflexively.

"How about I give ya jump start Cajun? I know what shackle marks look like, and ya have a pretty set on your wrists," Logan said crossing his arms over his worn blue and blue flannel shirt.

Gambit was silent for a few minutes as the two X-Men waited.

"It ain't like y' think," he said finally. "I'm getting…treatments from a doctor. Sometimes dey make me off my game for a few days."

"What are the treatments for?" Xavier asked.

"It's personal," Gambit said, eyes flinty.

"And the bruises around yer wrist, how do ya wanta explain those? I don't know that many doctors who are into S&M," Wolverine said.

Remy glared, "My body don' process anesthesia right, an' I can' stay still for it. Sometimes I get strapped down."

"Do you really think that's wise?" asked Xavier with a knowing look.

"Idiot," Logan said at the same time, his own experiences too close to the surface.

Charles tried to shield his growing concern, Remy rarely sat still and despised being forced to do so. No matter what the discomfort, Charles simply couldn't see Gambit allowing himself to be restrained in that manner.

"Look, I didn' have to tell y' anyt'ing, Xavier. I did as a courtesy. Y' don' need to know any more, an' Rogue don' need to know a'tall. Vous comprehendes?"

The professor sighed with a tired glaze on his blue eyes, "Very well…but do know—"

"Yeah, yeah. Y' be dere for me. I remember dat speech. Can I go now, or is Wolverine gonna frog-march me around for another hour?"

"Watch your mouth Cajun," Logan snapped.

Receiving a slight nod from the X-Men's visionary, Gambit left swiftly all traces of his earlier indisposition gone.

"Well?" Xavier asked after the door clicked, signaling the young mutant's departure.

"He ain't telling the whole truth," Logan said his enhanced senses always a handy lie-detector, "but he's telling enough of it mixed in to keep me guessing."

Xavier frowned with his chin in his hand. "I do wonder who this doctor is – if he really exists – and what he is using as a treatment. I heard rumors of a scientist who was trying to devolve homo-superior to homo-sapiens—"

"I wouldn't worry there Chuck. Gambit's so proud of being a mutant he could spit. If anything came up along those lines, I'd be more worried about Stripes. 'Course since she's been hanging out with Gumbo she's dealt with being a mutant a lot better."

"One of the reasons I encouraged his presence here," Professor Xavier admitted. "But the alternative, that Magneto would do such things to one of his charges…I wish I was able to read Gambit, maybe then…"

"Ah, yer kidding yourself Chuck. If you could crack his skull he'd never step foot in the place."

A/N: Brown eyes. I would have sworn I mentioned it in an earlier chapter, but maybe I lost that fact in an edit. As far as I know, Gambit had brown eyes in Evo, so I'm sticking with that for now.

Thank you for reviewing, it's certainly appreciated: Aethena, Anamarie Chambers, BlkDiamond, BJ2, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, Clownfood, coldqueen, Dark Elf 3, Elmothecajunpuppet, Gambit's Belle Rogue, gryphenvoid, Ima Super Mute Ant, ishandahalf, IvyZoe, justine174, Kagii, Kitsu Lebeau, le Diable Blanc, lelann37, Lumberjane, N.M.C.L, Nettlez, Puppybaddog, Samson28, sareh, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Shifting1, tinuviel-telcontar, Wildcard186, and X-Storm.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men or the related characters and places. Marvel does.**

Gambit waved off the offer of sunscreen and lounged in a deck chaise clothed in a ridiculously long pair of orange swim trunks and designer shades. The next two chairs were filled by Rogue and Cyclops, their own suits the matching dark blue of the Xavier Institute, each barring a small metallic yellow X. Gambit, feeling merciful, had only mocked them for a few minutes, concentrating rather on the acrobatics of Nightcrawler as he tried to a five-revolution flip before he hit the surface of the pool. Thus far, it hadn't been a success. No matter how fast he flipped, the height of the board simply wasn't enough to support that many revolutions. Gambit had a feeling Cyclops knew it too, but as long as the impact waves stayed inside the pool neither of them felt like piping up.

Looking miserable with dark blue fur dripping Kurt bampfed himself out of pool.

"This is useless," muttered a frustrated 'Crawler.

"Actually Kurt," Cyclops began, trailing off after seeing the dark look Nightcrawler sent his way. "Nevermind."

"Could you do it?" Kurt asked Gambit challengingly.

"Course I could. Y' couldn't, not at dat height. Me, pas de problema."

"You're taller than me; it should be harder for you not easier."

"What can I say? I'm good," Gambit smirked.

"Fine, lets see you do it," Rogue challenged pointing to the board with an imperious gesture, her hands encased in a short pair of water-weight gloves.

"Can' today."

"And why not?"

"Chicken!"

"Can'," Remy said smirking in that infuriating way. In some ways it was almost seductively easy to hang out with the X-Men. Sure, there was still tension, but it was nothing like it had been when he'd first graced the mansion door. The X-Men were almost appallingly forgiving, didn't anyone know how to hold a grudge? Well, Rogue might be able to work herself up to it, which is why he tried to limit the number of things he did that pissed her off. Although sometimes it seemed inevitable given their respective lines of work.

Rogue noting his distraction, dove past his guard to a stomach she knew was incredibly ticklish with a blackmailer's grin. Not wearing his own gloves, Gambit couldn't move Rogue for his own defense, so he tried to squirm out of the way to no avail. The vibrant laughter that emitted from the Cajun was a bit of a surprise considering the low-throated chuckles they were used to hearing from him.

"Alright, arête, stop!" Gambit wheezed. "Dat wasn' fair."

Rogue paused momentarily, her gloved hands still poised.

"Then spill, or ya get it," she threatened melodramatically arching an eyebrow.

"Well y' know normally I wouldn' mind making de lot of y' look like idiots, but I can' get wet today."

"Why, you going to melt?" asked a near-stoic Scott.

"Funny Summers. Neh, I jus'," Gambit paused to roll his eyes, "I got stitches, I can' get dem wet, okay?"

"Do not," smirked Rogue, getting an eyeful as she looked Gambit up and down. The abs of any of the boys were defined enough to make a women's magazine but she thought Remy's tanner complexion and near perfect line of hair made him the best pin-up candidate.

"Ah, he's wimping out," egged the blue-furred mutant.

"I do, jus', unless I get a Speedo on, y' can' really see it. It's kinda in an awkward place," Gambit teased.

"What happened?" Rogue asked curiously.

"You're still able to have kids right Remy?" mocked Scott.

"I don' know who tol' y' dat y' have a sense o' humor Scott, but dey gonna get hurt," Remy said squirting a water bottle in Scott's direction half-heartedly.

"You want to go see one of our doctors?" Kurt asked seriously.

"I already saw a doctor, dats how I got de stitches in," Gambit said relenting and pushing his shorts down an inch or two so the stitches were visible.

"You did those stitches yourself," Cyclops said sagely looking over the handiwork. "It's a little crooked; no one can make a perfect line when they're shoving a needle through their own skin."

"Y' caught me."

Rogue looked at him wide-eyed, "Ya sat right there and lied to me?"

"I didn' lie," Gambit insisted. "Dat was a fib."

"What's the difference?" asked Rogue.

"Fibs are de little, unimportant stuff."

"So if it's important, it's a lie?"

"Non," Gambit corrected her, "then it's a necessary untruth."

"Have you ever heard of situational ethics?" Rogue asked sarcastically.

"Non, but it sounds good. Maybe I get it printed up on my business cards," he smirked.

"You're impossible," Rogue said huffing dramatically, but with no small amount of affection.

"Y' know y' love it."

Scott and Kurt rolled their eyes at the couple, it seemed the two were getting worse every week. Soon they'd have to have a translator just to decode the couple-speak. Of course the descent into inanity had done what Cyclops had thought was Remy's true purpose, successfully diverting the group away from more important matters. And they let him, nearly ever time. It was…easier.

"I've got to get this chlorine out of my fur," Kurt said wrinkling his nose and bamphing away.

Left in the wake of another noxious smell Rogue snatched up Gambit's phone, or as Kurt had taken to calling it, 'the evil one,' which lay cocooned in the bright red beach towel that Gambit brought.

"I want to take your picture," she said grinning with mischief.

"Knock y' self out chere," he returned grinning, spreading his arms wide.

She clicked through the pictures already saved in the cell phone grinning softly at the caterwauling photos of Pyro and Colossus looking ten times more relaxed and friendly than she had ever seen either of them. There was even one photo which could only be a close-up of Sabretooth's mouth, hopefully done while the giant was sleeping.

The next photo slid into place and she had to take a moment and tilt her head to make sure what she was seeing was actually real. A brown-haired man, his face smeared with blood stared sightlessly up at the viewer. The cause of his death wasn't hard to image, the little background available showing a heavy wake of destruction she was familiar enough with to recognize as the end-results of a super-hero or super-villain battle.

Gambit was glancing curiously at her and she turned the phone around so he could see the small pic. Squinting he suddenly made out the picture and paled even under his rejuvenated tan.

"Ya didn't did ya?" Rogue asked. "Tell me it was an accident. Tell me it wasn't your fault."

Gambit stared at her helplessly. How was he supposed to answer that? Yes the mission had been to silence the man, but the final act was supposed to be Sabretooth's. Gambit and Pyro were just there to provide cover. His charge had slipped his control and the mark had been caught up in an explosion much larger than Gambit had originally anticipated. Sabretooth hadn't been happy that he'd been deprived of a kill and Gambit tossed his phone over quickly so 'Tooth could get proof that the job was finished. Last time Remy had refused to hand over his cell and they had ended up taking home an ear instead. Close up seeing the bloody mess that the explosion had wrought on the man, Creed almost looked proud of the younger Acolyte, which made Gambit's next battle against his stomach as it tried to evict its contents. It was a bad day in his life, but it certainly wasn't the worst.

"I don' know what y' want me to say," Gambit said swallowing hard staring at the ground before daring to look up at her.

"Can you tell me anything that isn't a lie, a fib, or a necessary untruth?" she parroted back. As if their notice had awakened the beast the phone rang shrilly in her palm and Rogue jerked her hand as if burned, letting it clatter to the cement.

Slowly Gambit bent to retrieve it and paced a few feet away to gain some distance from his spectators. His gut tight he listened to his new marching orders his eyes still searching out for Rogue. She studiously avoided his gaze until blessfully the voice on the phone ceased and he was able to slip it into one of the large cargo pockets of his trunks.

Cyclops shot him a hard look but Gambit ignored him stopping momentarily in front of Rogue's chaise. Her mouth was set in a prim line and Gambit knew now was not the time to start a conversation, even if he had the time.

"I gotta go," Remy informed her woodenly sliding away across the mansion's lawns.

Rogue left soon after, leaving her towel and even her sandals behind. By her direction of choice she wasn't going after Gambit either. Cyclops looked pensively at the water as it rippled across the pool. Had they done the right thing in letting Gambit into their lives? He knew he had been befriending an Acolyte, but was he befriending a murderer as well?

Scott slammed his hands on the arm rests of his chair and heaved himself up stalking after the Cajun.

Not apparently in a hurry to get to his destination it hadn't taken Scott long to overcome the thief on the side lawn. Taking a chance Gambit wouldn't belt him for the offense, Scott hauled back on Gambit's shoulder jerking him to a stop.

"Where are you going?" Scott asked angrily.

"Where the hell do you t'ink I'm goin'?" Gambit snapped recovering his backbone and snapping his shoulder out from under the visored mutant's grasp.

"We deserve to know."

"Like hell y' do."

"I don't want to have to treat you like a teammate, but you almost are one. And as leader it's my duty to tell you, you're acting like an idiot!"

"I don' have to take dis shit from y' Summers," Gambit scowled trying to dismiss the other mutant.

"Hell, you should take it from somebody. You're throwing your life away!"

"Sez you!" Remy shouted unconsciously curling his hand into a fist.

"Yeah right, says me. And forty million other people in the world who aren't insane. What's wrong with you Remy? How could you possibly work for someone so despicable? The shit he's making you do…"

"Y' want to try dat high n' mighty act wit' me again? Yeah dat never gets old," Gambit said sarcastically.

"Why on earth do you refuse to do what's right? I got to know you Remy, against my better judgment, but I know you. You're smart enough to know you're acting like a grade-A moron working for that maniac. You already spend half your time here with the X-Men, why not take that last little step? Why are you so hell-bent on refusing our help?"

"I ain't done nothing wrong, an' I don' need help. I ain' some lost little mutant y' and Xavier have to save!"

"Do you really believe that, that you've done nothing wrong?" asked Scott. "Fine, you're a Saint, but you know Magneto isn't. So why do you stay Gambit? Why, for god's sake!"

"It's none of y' god damn business Cyke!" the Cajun shouted back.

"Screw you, Remy. I'm tired of trying. You want to be bad, you want to be evil. Fine. Enjoy your stay in Hell, because you're working on a nice passport as we speak."

"Excuse moi?" Gambit snapped back his face narrowing with rage. "What gives y' de right—"

"For starters, I never killed anyone in cold blood."

Gambit snapped his mouth shut and looked angrily back and forth, but he didn't have a leg to stand on, and he knew it.

"So dis is it?"

"We've all kept your secrets Remy. But what do you think will happen when we tell the Professor what you really do on your assignments? I don't think he lets assassins into the X-Men, and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't let Rogue date one."

"Dat was an accident!" Remy screamed back, ducking his head and pushing his palms into his temples, his self-control having long since fled the building.

"Jezus, Remy, why do ya have to make everything so hard?" Rogue shouted slamming through the side door of the mansion with a wild look in her green eyes. The decibel level of their argument enough to bring her to the boys' side and jolt her out of her temporary stupor.

"Me?" Gambit asked incredulously. "Do y' have any idea what I go t'rough to make sure I see y'? What I'm still goin' t'rough?"

"Don't give me that baloney Remy. I'm dating the enemy too remember, this all goes with the territory. It doesn't give you an excuse to wimp out on me!"

"Somehow I don't think our situations are exactly the same," he said bitterly.

"They could be."

"I'm sorry Rogue, I ain't dealin' wit' dat right now."

"You can't deal with me?" she asked flatly crossing her arms against her chest.

"No, I can't deal with dis…dis thought dat everybody 'round here has dat I'm just waitin' for de right time to cross over to de side of good. I am what I am chere. Take it or leave it."

"If that's how ya feel."

"Why y' change y' mind all a sudden. An' don' tell me it's just cuz of de photo, cuz I know it ain'. Least ways not for y'. It's never been a problem for us before, and now…"

"I want somebody who won't run off on me every time a phone rings," Rogue said.

"That ain't fair chere."

"Little in life is," she said her own bitterness shining through. "Tell me the truth, tell us the truth," she said throwing her hand wide to encompass the mansion and its inhabitants, one last shot for empathy. "Please. Remy someone is hurting ya, dammit I know, and ya letting 'em. Whatever else it is, we'll deal with it, just stop hiding it from me."

"Rogue, chere…" he started brokenly shaking his head. "Y' wrong, I ain'…I'm alright. I don' know what t' say, 'cept I'm sorry. I didn' mean for it t' get like dis. I wanted…but I can' leave Magneto, I can' stop."

"Fine," she said, her eyes and voice teary against her will. "Fine, fine, fine. Jus' go."

"Rogue, I.."

"Just Go!" she screamed, pointing to the drive, her voice raw.

Gambit spun without another word, unable to frame a suitable reply to the anguish he heard so clearly.

Scott who had spent the last five minutes trying to be invisible, shifted slightly moving behind Rogue to lend her support. She stood strong not leaning into him as she might have done in previous months. The pair waited seemingly locked into position. The angry roar of Gambit's motorcycle raked the air as the engine caught dispelling the moment and the two X-Men trudged indoors spitting gravel answering the slamming of the mansion's door.

A/N: Hey guys, thanks a ton, you are hands down the most insistent reviewers I've ever had. I have apologies for the wait, and advice. Hard-drives are not immortal. For the love of all that is holy, get a rewritable disk and back up your stuff at least once a month! And now the apology….I am So Sorry.

Thanks again: 4Rogue, Aethena, AliAle, Anamarie Chambers, BlkDiamond, BJ2, Chica De Los Ojos Cafe, Clownfood, coldqueen, Dark Elf 3, Elmothecajunpuppet, Gambit's Belle Rogue, geko-blackjack, gryphenvoid, Higley, Ima Super Mute Ant, ishandahalf, IvyZoe, j.l., justine174, Kagii, Kitsu Lebeau, le Diable Blanc, Leah, lelann37, Lumberjane, mazdamiatta, N.M.C.L, Nettlez, Puppybaddog, Samson28, sareh, Streetwise Girl, sheisbeautiful-sheisnotme, Shifting1, tinuviel-telcontar, Vee-sama, Wildcard186, and X-Storm.


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